Finally Home
by Emery Saks
Summary: Peggy Carter has passed away and those who loved her are left to deal with the loss of a hero. (This is really heavy on the angst. Sorry)


Heavy clouds hung over London, and there was a chill in the air. Steve Rogers felt it fitting. It was if the world knew one of its fiercest protectors was gone and now mourned her in its own way. He stood there stoically, still trying to process why he was here. Process who lay in the casket not five feet from where he stood.

Peggy Carter. Founder of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Peggy Carter. Brown tresses shining and eyes bright with mischief as she sat around in Nazi-occupied Italy telling stories of her childhoods.

Peggy Carter. Waltzing into the bar in _that_ red dress, eyes trained solely on him.

Peggy Carter. Her voice cracking in pain as she begged him for the coordinates he wouldn't have time to give.

Peggy Carter. Silver hair splayed around her face, fragile hand in his as he visited her during one of her more lucid moments.

Peggy Carter.

Gone.

It had been inevitable. Steve knew that. The Alzheimer's had progressed rapidly these past few months and her once-frequent moments of lucidity had quickly melted away into days filled with confusion and fear. It broke Steve's heart to watch the woman he loved – the fierce woman who had believed in him when he was still skinny Steve Rogers and not Captain America – fade into senility, oblivious to the vibrant world around her. Oblivious to him.

He'd gotten the call three days ago – surprisingly enough from Tony Stark of all people. He wasn't quite sure what to make of that. But his phone had rung and when he picked it up, Tony simply said, "Steve. It's Peggy. She's gone."

His voice was strangled, and if Steve didn't know better, he would swear Stark had been crying. But that didn't make any sense. Tony had no reason to cry over a woman he had probably only barely known through his father. It wasn't like Stark, but Steve didn't have the time or the inclination to think on it any further.

"Does Sharon know?"

He heard Tony suck in a breath. "She does. She's… here. We're at the family home."

"Why are you there with Sharon?" Steve asked confused.

"I don't have time to explain. There are things that need to be taken care of. Arrangements made." He heard Tony sigh. "You need to come to London, Cap. Talk to Pepper. She'll make it happen."

"I will, but Stark– "

But Tony was gone. Steve sat there for a long while, staring at his phone. Processing what had just happened. Peggy. His Peggy.

He ran a hand through his hair, feeling the tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. Everyone he had known, had loved, was now dead. The final link to his former life was irrevocably gone.

That was three days ago.

Now, he stood here silently, listening as final words were said, waiting while friends and colleagues placed flower after flower on the rich mahogany coffin, and then finally watching as they lowered Peggy's casket into the ground **.**

Stillness surrounded him and the crowd slowly drifted away, until the only people who remained were Tony Stark and Sharon Carter.

He looked at the handwriting on the formal card that lay at the front of Peggy's grave. _Margaret Carter_. The headstone would come later. He wondered what it would say. How did one properly memorialize a hero? He'd yet to find an answer to that question. He wondered if he ever would.

The wind picked up and he glanced around, noticing the gravestone situated closely to Peggy's open grave.

 _Angela 'Angie' Martinelli. Loving Wife and Mother._

 _June 4, 1924 – February 17, 1994_

"Martinelli," Steve muttered distractedly. "Not a very English name."

He heard Tony laugh, the sound so surprisingly inappropriate at a time like this. Scowling, he turned to look at him. "Something funny?"

Tony shook his head and ran a hand across his face. "She would've given you an earful for thinking she was English. That woman was Italian through and through."

Steve's eyes widened in surprise. "You knew her?"

Tony smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Yeah, I knew her."

Steve waited for him to elaborate, but Tony stayed silent. He glanced at Sharon. "Well, who was she?"

"My great aunt," she quietly replied.

Steve's brow furrowed in confusion. "Your great aunt? On your mother's side?" he asked, uncomprehendingly.

Sharon shook her head. "My father's."

"I thought Peggy was your paternal aunt."

"She was," Sharon nodded.

"Then how…" he trailed off, mind whirling as he tried to process the information being given to him.

Tony stepped up and placed a hand on Steve's forearm. "Know how you always said you hoped Peggy was able to live her life after you disappeared? How you hoped she was happy without you?"

Steve swallowed thickly and nodded his head.

"Well she was," Tony informed him. "Happy, I mean." He pointed at the other tombstone. "And it was because of her." He sighed. "I never had the heart to tell her Angie wasn't there any longer. Every time she asked for Angie, I'd say she stepped out to do some shopping and would be back later. Peggy used to come here every year and leave flowers on her grave. But once the Alzheimer's set in…" his voice trailed off.

Sharon slipped her hand in his and gave him a watery smile. "You brought Aunt Angie flowers. You always took such good care of both of them, Tony. They knew how much you loved them."

Steve spluttered. "What's going on here?" He turned an incredulous gaze on Tony. "You never told me you knew Peggy." His voice turned hard. "You never once mentioned knowing S.H.I.E.L.D.'s founder."

Tony snorted. "That's because I didn't. I only knew her as my godmother. The classy British lady who let me stay up late on Saturday nights to watch Humphrey Bogart movies whenever I stayed at her house."

He pulled a picture from his wallet and passed it to Steve who took it and stared. There, in faded hues, was a picture of a young Tony Stark hanging onto the waist of a petite, dark haired woman. Steve guessed her to be in her early 50s. Her blue eyes were filled with mischief and her hand rested on his Tony's shoulder, lips curved in an impish smile. On the other side of Tony stood Peggy, hair windblown and cascading about her face. Her hand casually rested on Tony's other shoulder, but that wasn't what made Steve draw in a sharp breath. It was the fact that Peggy wasn't even looking at the camera. Her gaze was solely fixed on Angie, eyes full of adoration looking at her in a way that could only be described as lovingly. Even through the faded colors, Steve could clearly see that.

Her mouth was parted in an affectionate smile, and Steve felt his heart constrict. Peggy had loved this woman. That much was painfully obvious.

Tony slid another picture into his hand. "This is from their wedding. I found it in my father's office after he passed away. Angie used to love telling me all about it."

"But I thought that wasn't legal until…" Steve began.

"It wasn't," Sharon nodded. "But Aunt Peggy knew how much Aunt Angie wanted to be married. She was Catholic, after all. And Italian. It was important to her."

"That's an understatement," Tony laughed. "I can remember going to Mass every Sunday when I stayed with them." He caught Steve's incredulous look and gave an innocent shrug. "Relax, Cap. I was still young and wholesome. No chance of bursting into flames when I walked through the door."

Sharon smirked. "That wasn't until 15."

Tony pursed his lips. "Funny. Anyhow, Angie told me how Peggy set the whole thing up with Dad's help. Told her she was coming to our house for a fancy party. Mom even took Angie dress shopping. Angie said Peggy gave her some excuse about a S.H.I.E.L.D. emergency and said Angie would have to attend without her."

Sharon broke in. "I remember that! Dad said Aunt Angie was furious she told her, but Aunt Peggy promised her she'd be there and to go on without her and she'd try to show up as soon as possible."

Tony nodded. "Spoiler alert – Peggy ducked out and headed straight to the house to get ready. She had Mom pick up Angie, who fumed the entire way to the party, but then, when she walked in and saw Peggy standing up front, waiting for her in a beautiful white gown…"

Sharon smiled. "It was unbelievably romantic. Dad said he'd never seen his aunt so happy. Angie ran down the aisle into Peggy's waiting arms and showered her with kisses. Apparently, it took the minister ten minutes to get them apart long enough to start the ceremony!"

Steve studied the picture of the two women, attired in formal gowns, eyes beaming, arms wrapped around the other's waist.

"She looks so happy," he mused, awe seeping into his words. "So… in _love_."

"She was," Tony said simply. "Most of my happiest memories involve those wonderful ladies."

Sharon nodded. "Mine, too."

Steve looked up and glanced between then. "What happened to Angie?" He felt the atmosphere suddenly shift, and Tony grew still as tears welled up in Sharon's eyes. Steve suddenly felt like a heel for asking.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I didn't mean…"

Sharon laid a hand on his arm. "It's okay." She took a deep breath. "She was poisoned."

Steve sucked in a sharp breath. "Poisoned? Who? How?"

"Hydra somehow managed to infiltrate their home. They never found out how and Aunt Peggy never forgave herself for not being able to determine their method. But they somehow managed to slip the toxin into a bottle of wine." She sighed. "My aunts always did enjoy a glass of wine together in the evenings."

Tony gave her a sad smile. "Yes, they did."

"Aunt Peggy was supposed to be home early that evening, but a late call kept her in the office," Sharon continued. "She told Aunt Angie to start without her, that she'd be home as soon as she could." She paused and took a deep breath, a single tear trailing slowly down her cheek.

Tony gave her hand a squeeze. "Peggy found her in the study. She was on the floor, empty glass near her outstretched hand. The coroner said the poison was quick, but it wasn't painless. It restricted her air passage and…" Tony swallowed and closed his eyes. "It was awful."

"Aunt Peggy was never the same after that," Sharon whispered. "The Alzheimer's set in shortly after they buried Angie."

Tony sighed. "When we lost Angie, it was like losing my parents all over again." He let out a bitter laugh. "Worse, actually. I was closer to my godmothers than I ever was to my father. I'm ashamed to admit it, but I went a bender, drinking anything I could get my hands on. It's a wonder I even made it to the funeral."

Sharon gave him a small smile. "But you did. I may have been little, but I remember you there, standing next to Aunt Peggy, holding her hand."

"Peggy was always so strong, but Angie was her rock," Tony mumbled. "A part of her died when Angie left us."

"I didn't know," Steve murmured. "I had no idea. Peggy never said anything about her." He glanced up, confusion etched into his features. "What about the pictures of her family? Her husband? Children?"

Sharon smiled. "She couldn't very well tell the world she was happily living with a woman. Not back then."

"No, I suppose not," Steve agreed. He grew quiet and stared at Angie's grave before shifting his gaze to Peggy's casket. After a long silence, he finally spoke. "They had a good life together?"

Tony cracked a small smile. "If Pepper and I can have even a sliver of what those two ladies had together, I'll consider myself the luckiest guy in the world."

Steve looked up with a piercing gaze. "And Peggy was happy?" His tone was desperate. "Truly happy?"

"She was," Sharon assured him.

Steve considered their words for a long moment and then turned away, staring at the horizon, becoming lost in his own thoughts.

It was a lot to take in, the idea that Peggy had lived an entire life completely opposite to everything he thought he'd known about her. He chuckled to himself. Leave it to Peggy Carter to surprise him even after she was gone. She truly was the most amazing woman he'd ever known, and he suddenly understood learning this secret side of her changed nothing. She was still, and always would be, his number one girl.

He turned back around and glanced at the tombstone by his feet. It looked like she had willingly shared that distinction with an equally incredible woman, and Steve realized he was okay with that.

Stepping closer to the grave, he knelt down and carefully placed his palm against Angie's tombstone, his fingers resting against the word loving for several minutes. His voice, when he finally spoke, was soft and gentle.

"I'm glad she found someone like you, Angie Martinelli. Thank you for taking such good care of our girl."

He stood and turned to Tony and Sharon, brushing the dirt from his hands as he did so. Tony lifted an eyebrow. "So now you know."

Steve nodded. "Now I know."

"You okay with it?"

Steve considered Tony's words for a moment before responding. "Peggy was happy. That's all I ever wanted."

Sharon smiled and looped her arm through his. "She wanted you to be happy, too."

"I know," he nodded. "And I'm working on it." He glanced back at Peggy's grave one final time. This chapter of his life was done. It was time to close to the book and move forward. He brought his gaze back to Tony and Sharon.

"Didn't I see a pub around the corner?"

They looked at him, startled by the sudden change in conversation, but Tony recovered quickly and nodded. "Yeah, about two blocks over. Why?"

Steve smiled. "What do you say we go lift a glass in Peg's memory and you two tell me more about Angie Martinelli. She must've been a pretty special lady to win Peggy Carter's heart."

Tony grinned. "You have no idea."

The trio walked toward the gates, and Steve listened as Tony and Sharon shared memories of growing up with Angie and Peggy. When they reached the gates, Steve turned back, glancing toward the two graves one final time. He closed his eyes and breathed. When he opened them, a genuine smile graced his features. Everything would be okay. How could it not be? Peggy Carter was finally _home_.


End file.
